Gravity
by Nmoreblack
Summary: After a contentious first meeting, Katniss finds she's never been so happy to be wrong. If only that first move were easier to come by. Modern AU.


**Rated M for reasons.**

**Disclaimer: The Hunger Games belong to Suzanne Collins.**

* * *

Katniss washes her hands for probably the twentieth time that day. Her knuckles are starting to crack and bleed. Someday, she's going to remember to bring hand lotion to work. Which would probably be pointless; she'll end up washing it off by lunch time. At least none of the kids had any "accidents" today- that's a part of the job she'll never get used to, no matter how much her boss assures her otherwise.

"Ugh. He's here again." The back door swings open as her co-worker Annie storms through- or as much as Annie can "storm." She's a lithe woman and everything about her is quiet, from her soft voice to her gliding walk. But currently, she's moving around the room in a frenzied whirl of long, auburn hair.

"Who? The MILF-hunter?"

"Yes," Annie hisses, surprising Katniss with her uncharacteristic shortness. "And this time, it's _me_ he won't leave alone. I guess he must be desperate."

"Don't say that. Maybe he's finally smartened up," Katniss says. Annie stops her pacing to raise an eyebrow at her. "Okay, as much as a complete idiot can."

A smile creeps across Annie's face at this, and Katniss notices the flush on her face. She wonders if it's due to the regular exertion required by their jobs, or if something else has affected this change.

Before she can think too hard on it, the clock in the corner catches her eye.

"I gotta get back out there," Katniss groans.

"Oh!" Annie says, snapping out of a daze- something Katniss is used to. "Watch out. He brought a friend this time."

Katniss drops her head back with a heavy eye roll before pushing out the door.

She's been here just long enough that the noise and loud colors don't quite faze her, but there's always an adjustment, especially for someone who appreciates quiet and solitude as much as she does. The irony of her position isn't lost on her- or anyone else who knows her well and finds it to be an endless source of entertainment.

Katniss Everdeen was not cut out to be a care provider at Giggles Play Cafe. But a job is a job and she knows better than anyone that beggars can't be choosers.

She scans the area like a security guard. As far as she's concerned, her job is to make sure no kid chokes on a Lego or gets stuck in one of the tubes that connects the play structures...which happens surprisingly often. Annie was aghast when she first had to tell Katniss that no, they could not just get a broom and push the kid out from the other side.

Her bosses would say her job is to provide a "happy, safe, and comfortable environment for children and parents alike" and to smile and motivate and...basically, she spends a lot of her time running around with sanitizing cleaner and praying to god that most of children are still in diapers-at least in that case, the parents are the ones that have to deal with the mess.

The saving grace of their play center that it has a cafe area for adults so a lot of parents choose to stick around and socialize and, hopefully, manage their offspring. But of course, there are an equal number who jump at the opportunity to leave them in the hand of trained caregivers so they can have a few hours to themselves. She can't say she blames them.

A loud chuckle sounds from behind her. _That_ is the other drawback of the job, one they most definitely did not mention in training.

She turns to find Finnick Odair lounging back at one of the bistro tables. Her eyes narrow almost instinctively. Sure, it's not unheard of for creepy men to troll children's play centers, but generally they're not there for the parents. Finn is a crafty exception. She and Annie are happy to call security on him just as quickly as they do for any other creeps, but unfortunately, every time they've approached in the past, the single mother of the day would assure them with a blush and a smile that, "Oh no, he wasn't bothering me." It's like he slips something into their drinks or plays a lute to lure them into a trance. Not that he'd really need to- why someone who looks like Finnick Odair needs to troll for single mothers in the first place is completely beyond her.

And today he's brought a friend. Of the male persuasion, for once. Equally good-looking and probably equally douchey. Where Finn has a perfect movie star smile, his friend's is slightly lopsided and dimpled. That must _really_ reel them in. Her scowl deepens as she approaches them, ready to call security on two grown men who treat a day care center like a frat house.

"Well, hello Miss Katniss," Finnick drawls at her approach. He leans back even further in his chair. She has to resist the urge to kick the legs out from under him. "And don't you look lovely today..."

"Oh, really? What is it that caught your attention? The way the poly blend brings out my eyes?" she asks, pulling at the heinous red polo she's required to wear.

"More like the way those sexy khakis accentuate your a-"

"Ooookay," his blonde friend cuts in. "Let's not get kicked out of here before lunchtime, all right?"

"Oh, let him keep going," Katniss says with a fake, sugary smile. "It would be my pleasure."

The man's tentative smile transforms into a smirk as he looks her over. This is the last straw.

"Can't you two creeps find something better to do on a Saturday afternoon than prey on single moms?" she seethes. "Try golfing, or a mental health facility."

"Um," the blonde starts nervously, the confident look quickly leaving his face.

"No, it's okay, Peet," Finnick cuts him off. "Katniss here just doesn't understand that those days are over for me. I'm going straight."

"Is that right?" Katniss asks flatly. "And what does 'going straight' entail for you?"

"Well, it starts with you giving me Annie's phone number," he responds with a grin.

"Ha! You're not getting within ten feet of that girl." He opens his mouth to speak, but she stops him with a fierce look. "I mean it. I've watched you move from one woman to the next like you're playing slot machines. But you're going to leave my friend alone. I'm sure she knows better, but she doesn't need the hassle."

The smile never drops from Finn's face, but there's something serious and contemplative in his eyes and she fears she may have said too much. She doesn't actually know a lot about Annie's background, but she's been around her enough to see the way she shrinks from attention, particularly from men- the only time she really seems to thrive is when she's interacting with kids. It's not like Katniss to pry, and she would never push Annie for details on her past anymore than she would willingly give them out about her own, but it _is _like her to be protective, especially over someone as kindhearted as Annie. So the first move Finn makes in Annie's direction, he's going to lose an appendage. Hopefully, his favorite.

"Americano for Finn!" the redhead at the counter calls out. Whatever mysterious expression Katniss was trying to read on his face is now replaced by his signature grin.

"Pardon me," he says, slinking behind her and heading toward the counter, purposely brushing against her as he passes.

"You know, he's not all bad."

She was too busy shooting daggers at the back of Finn's head to notice his friend studying her closely.

"Thanks,_ Pete_," she bites out. "That means a lot, coming from you."

"It's Peeta, actually," he answers, an easy smile on his face.

"Congratulations," she says. "You and your _not-all-bad_ friend have fun objectifying women, okay?"

Katniss starts to walk away, hopefully to burn off some energy before she snaps and gets fired for dumping hot coffee in both their laps, but he speaks again.

"You're being awfully cynical. How do you know I'm a creep?"

"First of all," Katniss starts, turning to face him again. "It's not cynicism. I know Finn, and despite what he thinks, I'm not an idiot just because I have a vagina."

His eyebrows shoot up and he looks around the room. "Should you be saying that in a kids' center?"

"Oh, no, you're right. I should be using vague words so that children don't understand their own body parts," she says, rolling her eyes. Her voice is steadily rising, drowning out any response he might voice. "And secondly, you expect me to believe you're just some normal, well-adjusted guy who comes to places like this to meet a nice girl?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that..."

"Oh, so you're babysitting then?"

His brows furrow in confusion, but he still manages to smile delightedly at her. It's infuriating.

"Uh...no. I don't _babysit_," he says with emphasis. It's not disgust she hears in his voice, though; it's something different she can't quite place and his vagueness is getting on her nerves.

"Wife? Girlfriend? Taking your niece out for the day?"

"Are you trying to find out if I'm single?" he asks in amusement.

"Why don't you just go to a bar like a normal person?!" she snaps at him. Heads turn to stare in their direction and she knows without looking that her face is roughly the same color as her shirt.

"I don't really have a lot of free time," he offers. "I have other responsibilities."

She pointedly scans the area and then looks back at him as if to contradict his statement; he _is _just chilling with Finn in the middle of the afternoon. He shrugs good-naturedly.

Their conversation is interrupted by a high-pitched screech. Katniss spins around and there's a moment of silence before the hysterical crying begins. She spots a little girl on the ground by the slide; her chubby face is red and wet with tears.

Katniss jogs down the few steps that separate the play area from the cafe. She kneels down next to the girl, checking her for injuries first. She seems fine, nothing more than a bruised knee, probably.

"You're okay, sweetie," she says. Terms of endearment sound strange falling from her lips, but she's never going to remember their names, and it seems to calm them down. Besides, it's not like she's not completely heartless.

The girl eventually stops sniffling and holds her arms out. Some children run and hide when any adult who isn't their parent approaches; others cling to the supervisors with complete trust. It's uncomfortable sometimes, and utterly baffling, but it's better than dealing with a violent tantrum. Katniss lifts the girl up and sets her on her feet.

"Again!" she screams, going straight for the climbing net that leads back to the slide. Katniss just laughs and rolls her eyes.

"Excuse me," a small voice comes from below, where a hand is tugging at her pants.

A little boy with a head full of golden curls is looking up at her. His face is screwed up in consternation, an amusingly serious look for a little kid. He can't be more than six or seven.

"Yes?"

"Where's Pluto?"

"Huh?" Fortunately for her, articulation is not a requirement for her clientele.

"Pluto! On the painting of the galaxy." He points to a mural on one of the walls that features a diagram of the Sun and all the planets orbiting around it at relative distances.

"Oh, yeah. They painted over it when it was declassified as a planet," Katniss tells him.

"What? What do you mean? Pluto's the 9th planet from the Sun!" he insists, a whine working its way into his voice.

"Not anymore, apparently," she says dryly. His bright blue eyes are growing glassier by the moment. "I don't make the rules. It's a dwarf planet now. I guess it doesn't rate a spot on the map anymore. Sorry."

She sees his tiny fists clench at his side. Uh oh. _Please don't let this be a meltdown._

"But it's in my mommy's book! I read it! Pluto's the smallest planet orbiting the Sun! It has moons and everything!" His voice grows louder and higher as he becomes more agitated. Katniss realizes she should try to soothe him, but she can never justify lying to children. It makes her feel low. She doesn't mind being the bad guy, the one they scream at in anger, but she won't give them some false impression of the world that will only crush them as they grow older.

"Daddy!" he yells.

"Oh, crap," she mutters under her breath. She hadn't realized his parents were here. Usually in situations like these, they apologize and drag their kid away, embarrassed by any display of bad behavior and how it reflects on them, but some of them like to stay and berate her with their views on childcare and how she's failing to meet those standards.

"What's wrong, bud?" comes a deep voice.

She meets an equally blue pair of eyes set in a familiar face. _Oh, fuck. Not him._

She closes her eyes and takes a bracing breath. When she opens them, Finn's friend, Peeta, is holding the little boy...who is so clearly a mini-version of him. She briefly wonders what the boy's mother looks like as he seems to have inherited so many of his features from Peeta. This thought is quickly pushed aside, however, by the memory of her chewing him out for coming here only to pick up chicks.

Squaring her shoulders, she tries to play it off like she isn't completely mortified.

"This lady says Pluto isn't a planet! But I read it, Dad. I know it is." Peeta is listening intently to him, but his eyes stay on hers throughout his son's complaints.

"Well," Peeta begins gently. "I think she may be right. She looks like she knows what she's talking about."

She won't return his smile.

"But you said adults aren't always right!"

The corner of her mouth pulls up at this and Peeta catches it right away, sending her a blinding smile in response. But he puts a mock serious expression on his face before he faces his son.

"That's true, but I'm an adult...so you probably shouldn't believe me either."

"Daaad," he whines, squirming until Peeta relents and puts him down before drawing him back into his side.

"We can look it up when we get home, bud. But I don't think Katniss would lie to you."

"I didn't say it wasn't a planet," she mutters. Peeta and his son are staring at her intently, wearing matching expressions. It would almost be cute, if she cared about that sort of thing. "It's a dwarf planet. I don't know why that means it can't be on the map, but they didn't ask my opinion, so..."

"Mom's book didn't say that," the boy says dejectedly. Peeta squeezes his shoulder.

"Yeah, well your mom's books are older than you are. Possibly older than me. According to those encyclopedias, I think the Berlin Wall is still up," he says, looking at Katniss for her reaction. She glances away, trying to hide her smile. The way he studies her is disconcerting.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with a dwarf planet!" Peeta continues, his attention back on his son. He kneels down next to him. "Good things come in small packages. Like Herbert."

The boy's features screw up in contemplation. "His frog," Peeta mouths in Katniss' direction, making her chuckle.

"Yoda is small," she chimes in after a moment.

The boy's face lights up and so does Peeta's.

"Yeahh," he agrees in an awed whisper, his bright blue eyes going wide as he mulls this over excitedly.

"Katniss here is small," Peeta offers, gesturing towards her petite frame. She scowls at this, but the kid giggles delightedly. "Okay, Ben Kenobi, explorer of dwarf planets," Peeta says, ignoring her glare, and tickling his son's side. "Why don't you go wear yourself out on the jungle gym?"

"Obi-Wan Kenobi!" he squeaks in response. "I haven't heard that name in a long time."

"A _long_ time!" Peeta joins in, he and Ben shouting in unison. Katniss covers her mouth with her hand as a snort escapes her at this ridiculous display.

"Bye Kat-niss!" the boy calls, running off.

"Bye, um..."

"Ben," Peeta finishes for her. She looks at him curiously. "That is actually his name. We only use 'Obi-Wan' for legal documents. I mean, we're not monsters. Who would do that to a kid?"

He gives her another smirk, but it's more expectant than smug, like he's constantly fishing for a reaction. She _would_ smile- goofy _Star Wars_ jokes always work on her, not that he needs to know that. But his reference to "we"- him and Ben's mother, presumably- makes her uneasy. It's not that he's been hitting on her, per se. Maybe he's just that much of a people pleaser, one of those guys who needs to make everyone laugh to earn some sort of validation. But even still, he hasn't exactly been forthcoming.

Katniss levels him with a hard look.

"You said you didn't babysit."

"I don't," Peeta laughs. "He's my kid. It's not babysitting. I'm just...parenting my child."

"So you wanted to make me look like an idiot," she responds, fighting the flush she knows is working its way up her neck. She doesn't appreciate being the butt of the joke.

"To be fair," he responds, "You wanted to make me look like a creep. I just...didn't think I had to defend myself." He shrugs and she feels even stupider. Any small connection she might have felt is diminishing rapidly. Which is probably for the best.

"You're right. You don't," she says shortly, before turning away.

"Wait, hold on," he calls, following after her. "I didn't lie to you."

She finds the bucket of cleaning supplies and pulls out the sanitizer they use for the toys, refusing to look at him.

"Okay, fine, I wasn't honest either," he continues while she makes her way to the train set in the corner. "It was just...kind of amusing to watch you get all worked up."

She turns from the set with to glare at him, the spray bottle clutched tightly in her fingers. He puts his hands up like she's going to shoot.

"Plus," he quickly adds, "I've never seen a girl hate Finn so much. I mean, not one he hadn't already slept with, at least."

"Should _you_ be talking this way in a 'kids' center'?" Katniss mocks, kneeling down by the set and plucking train cars off the tracks to clean them one by one.

"I know I'm guilty by association," he says, ignoring her question and kneeling beside her. "Finn is my friend, after all. But he's not a complete douchebag. That's all I was trying to say. I'm not justifying anything, but he doesn't lie to women, and most of them are smart enough to make their own decisions, you know?"

"Wow, how admirable," she says flatly. "Thanks for the lesson in sexual politics. Why are you still even talking to me? Despite your condescending lecture, you still sound like some sort of screwed-up wingman."

"I have no interest in Finn's sex life, believe me. Anyway, you accused me of trying to make you look like an idiot," Peeta says, searching her face. "And I guess I'm condescending, too. But that wasn't my intention. I don't think you look like an idiot...at all."

For a moment, their eyes meet and his are as serious as she's seen them since they met. No coherent thoughts enter her mind, especially after his mouth parts and her eyes drop to follow the movement. Whether he was about to say something else or the movement was entirely involuntary, she'll never know, because she shakes herself out of her trance and puts down the toy train she was washing, standing so quickly that she gets a little dizzy.

"No, I guess I'm just a know-it-all who disillusions your son about the solar system," Katniss says, a weak attempt at a joke. But it works, because his face lights up again as he stands beside her.

"It's not a big deal. You were just being honest. Kids get worked up at the drop of a hat; if it wasn't that, it'd be something else. Besides, Delly is too easy on him sometimes. I swear she's gonna keep signing his Christmas presents 'From, Santa' until he's 20," he says, rolling his eyes. Peeta catches her confused look and adds hurriedly, "My ex-wife."

Her heart rate picks up and she hates herself for the reaction.

"I mean, she's his mother...Delly is. That was the important part of that," he rambles nervously. "Not like I have multiple ex-wives and she just gets him presents and...anyway, you don't care and I'm an idiot. Um, it was nice to meet you, Katniss."

He lifts his hand in an awkward wave and a shaky breath escapes her lips.

"You too, Peeta," she says.

Before he turns, he sends her that lopsided, dimpled smile and she finds that she was right about it- she _is _reeling.

* * *

"I need to tell you something," Annie tells her the next week at lunch. Her voice is grave and she won't meet Katniss' eyes.

Katniss straightens up in her seat, dropping her gyro and giving Annie her full attention. Annie is so reserved and mysterious that it could literally be anything. She's slightly nervous to hear it. It could be something horrible and heartbreaking about her past, or she could need help burying a body, and Katniss is not that good of a friend.

"Shoot," Katniss says with false bravado.

"I'm...I told Finn I'd go out with him."

Katniss' mouth drops open. This is _so_ much worse than a dead body. She flounders, trying not to let it show on her face.

"Okay," she says, filling the awkward silence and struggling to think of what to say next.

"I know," Annie replies, burying her face in her hands. "You think this is a terrible idea."

"No! I didn't say that, I just...I thought you hated him," Katniss ventures. _That's good. Focus on Annie and _her_ hatred of Finnick._

"I don't _hate_ him," she shrugs, dropping her hands, her freckles standing out against the redness of her cheeks. "It's just that, well, he won't leave me alone. And I know that's not exactly a great reason to go out with someone. But he's been coming around all the time, and he's barely looked at other women since then. God, that sounds conceited."

"No, it doesn't," Katniss says. Thinking back on it, Finn _had _been coming around more frequently and not once did she spot him in the vicinity of another woman. Not that it made it less creepy for him to be hanging around Giggles Play Cafe all by himself every day, but for him, that seemed like progress. "He does seem very...single-minded, lately."

"I know," Annie says, the corner of her mouth lifting tentatively. "It's probably a huge mistake, but he's like a dog with a bone. He asks me out on the hour, every hour. It's sort of distracting, actually."

Katniss laughs and Annie lets out a frustrated groan before joining in.

"Okay!" she says brightly, taking Katniss by surprise. "I'm gong to go out with him once. Hopefully, that'll get it out of his system and he'll leave me alone and it'll only be a few hours of my life gone."

"Sounds like a plan," Katniss agrees, picking up her wrap. "I hope you get an expensive meal out of the deal."

"That's sort of the thing..." Annie says, deflating again. Katniss eyes her curiously, silently urging her to continue. "I was nervous to say yes and be with him alone because, ya know, it's him."

"Uh huh..." Katniss intones. "That's probably wise."

"So I sort of suggested a group thing." She looks up at Katniss expectantly.

"Good luck finding another sucker," she responds with hard look, taking a big bite of her lunch.

"Please, _please_, Katniss?" Annie begs, her eyes wide and hopeful. "It's just one meal. We'll get a big table and you won't even have to talk to him. Or you can, and feel free to berate him all you want."

Katniss swallows and opens her mouth to respond, but Annie cuts her off.

"And! I'll take your Sunday morning shift! You know that's the worst one. I hear there's a birthday party. Sounds like a nightmare," she says with emphasis, shaking her head in exaggerated horror. Katniss snorts.

"I can't believe this. All that time we spent complaining about him, now he gets two for the price of one."

"It's not like that," Annie laughs, swatting her arm. "Besides, he's bringing people, too. He was surprisingly...amenable. To all my conditions."

"Well, good for you. Make him work for it," Katniss says.

"There is no _it_!" Annie insists, her cheeks now perpetually pink. "It's one date, after which, he'll probably conveniently lose my number."

"Whatever you say," Katniss smiles at her, stealing a fry from her basket.

"Mock all you want," Annie replies. "But if we have a terrible first date, he may never come around ever again."

Katniss considers this for a moment. "You're right. If nothing else, that would make this all worthwhile."

* * *

Katniss tries to pretend that it didn't even occur to her that _he _could be here. This is for Annie, after all. She has no interest in getting anything out of this little group outing.

This fact is harder to remember as she and Annie approach Finn's table in the Italian restaurant and Katniss sees a head of blonde curls over the back of the booth.

As soon as Finn spots Annie, he immediately stands from his seat, a napkin falling from his lap to the floor. He glances down at it briefly, an embarrassed look appearing on his face for a brief second before he covers it with that large, perfect smile. She hears Annie expel a breathy laugh, and even Katniss defrosts slightly at the dopey way Finn is staring at her friend.

It only takes a moment for Peeta to follow his lead, standing from the booth and turning to the two of them. She tries not to notice the soft, blue button down he's wearing, just as she tries not to fidget with her own clothing. It's nothing special really- dark skinny jeans with a cream silk blouse, something she generally reserves for job interviews or family functions, but it's a far cry from what she was wearing the last time he saw her. It never occurred to her that she'd be so secretly grateful that she put the extra effort in.

And it's really nothing next to Annie, who wears a flowy dress, her beautiful hair falling down in waves (and it's clear that Finnick is having trouble deciding what to take in first), but the way Peeta looks at her with warm, bright eyes makes Katniss feel less ridiculous and more herself. Well, _herself_ with an accelerated heart rate and sweaty palms. This really isn't the body part she should be concerned with, though. She'll be lucky if she makes it through the evening without tripping over her tongue, which insists on forming clumsy words without her permission.

"Ladies, you both look incredible," Finnick says, taking Annie's hand. She jumps slightly at the gesture, but he merely smiles reassuringly at her and leads her into the booth.

"Hi, Katniss," Peeta says, his hands shoved into his pockets. "It's good to see you again."

"You, too," she manages, feeling the weight of the exact moment that this suddenly turned into some kind of double date. They both fiddle almost imperceptibly, failing to meet one another's eyes.

"Um, do you want the inside seat or-" he finally asks, pulling a hand out of his pocket to gesture at the table.

"Oh, no. Um, I pee a lot. I mean," Katniss rushes onward, trying to block out the amused stares coming from Finn and Annie's direction, "Just...in case. I tend to drink a lot of water. So...you won't have to be letting me out of the booth all the time."

She tries to shrug casually, but she knows it comes off as stiff and awkward. Finn barks out a quick laugh and she closes her eyes briefly to compose herself.

Peeta shoots Finnick a warning look before scooting into the booth and gesturing for her to sit.

"No, that's fine," Peeta says kindly. "Anything is a breeze compared to having to take a seven-year-old to a public bathroom all night, so this is like a vacation for me."

Katniss smiles crookedly at him, sliding in close enough to cover her discomfort, but not so close that their legs will keep bumping all night.

"Well, this is going well. Anyone else want to contribute any bathroom stories?" Finn asks wryly, throwing his arm over the back of the booth. Katniss sees Annie stiffen for a moment before realizing that Finn isn't using it as a lame attempt to touch her. Both women visibly relax.

"Katniss and I work with little kids all day, so I really don't think you want to open up the table for that discussion," Annie says quietly. She's fiddling with her place setting, but there's a soft smile on her face and Finn laughs, studying her with an enraptured look on his face.

"Yeah, and besides, Finn, you will always take the cake when it comes to disgusting conversation topics," Peeta adds.

"Hey!" he protests, holding a hand to his heart like he's been mortally wounded. "Some friend you are. How dare you sully my reputation."

Katniss and Peeta let out similar mocking laughs and their eyes are drawn to one another's. Katniss looks away before she can think too long on the slope of his perfect nose.

"He's actually a pretty good wingman, for the record," Katniss tells Finn. "I hope you're buying him dinner."

She feels Peeta's gaze burning into her profile, but she goes back to studying the menu. In truth, she can barely remember what kind of food this place serves at the moment.

"Oh really, now?" Finn asks, leaning forward. "What did he say about me? I need to know if this rates a slice of cheesecake or prime rib. Was it about my roguish good looks, or my dazzling intellect? All my volunteer work with stray kittens?"

"Annie, aren't you a dog person?" Katniss asks, tilting her head playfully at her friend.

"I am," Annie agrees with a small smile.

"And the puppies. All those poor, abandoned puppies," Finn adds quickly, sending her a sad look reminiscent of the animal in question. Annie rolls her eyes, but Finn merely beams back at her like this was the reaction he was hoping for.

"Actually," Katniss says, "he said you weren't a douchebag. So how's that for a ringing endorsement?"

Finn shoots Peeta a look of disgust.

"What does that rate?" Peeta asks, ignoring his friend. "A side salad?"

"Well," Katniss says, pretending to consider it seriously, "From where Annie and I started in our opinion of Finnick, I'd say that _and_ a side of breadsticks, at least."

Peeta laughs, deep and rich, and the sound of it is contagious. They're all laughing as Finn slumps back in his seat dejectedly, whether in sincerity or show, Katniss can't tell, but Annie puts her hand on his shoulder anyway.

"It's true, but just look at the progress already," she says teasingly.

He straightens up, leaning closer to her, but before Annie can shrink away, he turns back to the rest of the table.

"Well, from douchebag to tolerable," Finn says, raising his glass of water. "I'll drink to that."

They all clink their glasses of water before Peeta begs to get an actual adult drink.

They've all put their orders in and are sharing a bottle of wine when Finn leans in to make quiet conversation with Annie. Katniss can barely hear them over the sound of the busy dining room, but Finnick seems to be listening to her with his whole body, his face wearing a rare, serious expression. It doesn't seem to be a trick or a lure, as far as Katniss can tell. And in the observations she's made of Finn with other women, she always noticed his intent to charm, his exaggerated gestures and smiles. Here with Annie, he seems at ease and, Katniss hopes, real.

Katniss is drawn from her thoughts by movement in the corner of the eye and she quickly turns to Peeta, feeling foolish that she'd been all but ignoring him. His mouth is partway open as if he had been about to speak, but when she meets his gaze, he flounders for a second, caught off guard, and gives her a polite smile instead. She tugs her braid away from her neck, anxious for something to do.

"Um-"

"So-"

They speak at the same time, both laughing nervously.

"Go ahead," Peeta says, gesturing politely.

"No, no, you," she insists, certain that he'll be better at this small talk thing than she will.

"Oh, well," he starts, fiddling with the sleeves that are rolled up to his forearms, "I was just going to apologize for this whole thing. Finn just said it was going to be a group, to make Annie comfortable, you know?" Katniss bites her lip nervously, feeling more out of place by the second. "I didn't know you'd get roped into this, or that it would feel like this weird set-up thing."

"Right," she agrees, and it takes effort to nod reassuringly. Sure, she was uncomfortable when she first walked in, but she wasn't having a bad time and she didn't realize that he was so uneasy with the whole idea. But, _of course_ he was. He was a grown, good-looking man with a son and probably better things to do on a Friday night than be forced into a double date with the girl who cleans up after his kid on the jungle gym.

"What were you going to say?" Peeta asks gently when she doesn't respond further.

"Oh, um," Katniss scrambles for a different answer, something closer to what he had said. Something wry and disaffected, like she was unhappy to be here, too. But she was never good at thinking on the fly, so she just goes with her original question. "I...I was just going to ask what you do for a living."

A lock of hair falls into her face and she's tempted to leave it there so it can hide the blush on her cheeks, but when she tucks it back and glances up at him, he looks equally mortified.

"Oh!" Peeta says, his surprise evident. "I'm sorry, I...I didn't-" He takes a deep breath and composes himself before continuing. "I'm a baker."

"Really?" she asks, her nose scrunching up in surprise. This makes him laugh.

"It's a family trade. But I like it and I'm good at it, so...can't complain," he says with a smile.

"That's kinda cool," she says, sipping her wine.

"Is it?" he asks, almost uncertainly.

"Yeah. I mean it's _food_, first of all," she says, like this is obvious. "And I dunno, everyone you meet these days is like a _data analyst _or a _brand specialist_ and, god, I never know what any of that means. It's kind of nice to meet someone with a trade."

Katniss looks over and his head is resting on his hand where his arm is propped on the table. He's looking at her intently like he's taking in every word, and there's a grin creeping almost unconsciously across his face. She sips more of her wine self-consciously.

"Peet!" Finn's voice cuts in. "Peeta!"

Peeta sits up, blinking at his friend.

"Your phone is going off, man," Finnick says, eyeing him with amusement.

Peeta twists in his seat, frantically searching for his phone. He finds it on the seat of the booth and picks it up. Katniss tries not to listen, but it's clear that Annie and Finn are, unabashedly.

"Hey, Lauren." Katniss tries to keep her face impassive and her mind from running through all the possibilities. He never actually said he was single, just that he had an ex-wife. This would explain why he was so uncomfortable about being stuck on this date with her. She feels Annie's gaze on her, but she only glances up briefly, offering a wry smile, before dropping her eyes back to the table cloth.

"Oh, really?" Peeta asks, running his hand through his hair. "No...no, it's fine. It's not a big deal, okay? Just give me half an hour. Okay...thanks, bye."

Peeta hangs up the phone and finds them all staring at him.

"Uh, that was my babysitter. Apparently, she doesn't feel well," he explains, making a face to express his skepticism. "I'm really sorry, guys. I need to head home."

He says this to Finn and Annie, but his eyes dart to Katniss nervously, and she tries to give him a sympathetic smile in response.

Finn and Annie, however, look fairly uncomfortable. It takes Katniss a second to realize that she's now going to be the third wheel on their date. One that is going pretty well, considering how close the couple are now sitting to each other.

"You know, I should head on out, too," Katniss offers.

"No!" Annie jumps in. "You don't have to do that, Katniss, really. Besides, I drove you." She looks deeply apologetic and while Annie may owe her _big_, it's kind of nice to see her looking so happy and comfortable with a guy.

"It's fine, seriously. I can call a cab," she says. Even Finn looks at her regretfully, and she feels the need to reassure them. "I'm missing a _Deadliest Catch_ marathon anyway, so..."

They laugh a little in response and Finnick opens his mouth to speak, probably to insist that she really doesn't _have_ to leave.

"I can take her," Peeta offers. All heads turn toward him. "I mean, if that's okay with you, Katniss."

"Um," she begins, vaguely aware that Finn and Annie are looking between the two of them like they're watching a tennis match. "I don't wanna put you out..."

"It's not a big deal, really. Where do you live?" he says, offering a reassuring smile.

"Elm, just a few blocks from Highland," she says hesitantly.

"That's like five minutes from me. It's no big deal. It'll save you a cab fare."

"Um, okay, sure." She shrugs.

"Well, let's at least get your meals wrapped up to go," Finn says, flagging down their server. They bring Finn and Annie's food on steaming plates and Peeta and Katniss' in to-go boxes.

Finn waves Katniss off when she reaches for her purse. "Katniss, I've got it, really. Just consider it a thanks for not maiming me when I asked Annie out."

"How'd you know that's what I had in mind?" she asks, narrowing her eyes.

"Oh, please," he says. "You have _I will castrate you_ written all over your face. I can read you like a book."

It's not that he's wrong, exactly, but Katniss doesn't like being predictable.

Annie keeps covering her face with her hand like she's both amused by their interaction and terrified of what will happen if Finn pushes Katniss too far.

"Finn, you're not doing yourself any favors," Peeta warns him, shaking his head. "Besides, Katniss was just being a good, and _smart_, friend."

"If this is part of your stellar wingman material, you just lost yourself those breadsticks, buddy," Finn says, crossing his arms. Peeta deliberately slides the to-go box slowly out of Finn's reach and grabs for his wallet.

"Oh, knock it off. I've got it. Consider it a condolence for being robbed of a night off from single-fatherhood. You two get out of here."

"Thanks, Finn," Peeta says, sliding out of the booth after Katniss. She turns back to them and offers Finn a warning look.

"Recognize this look on my face?" she asks him.

"Yes, ma'am I do," he says, affecting an obedient expression. "Annie has full permission to kick me in the balls if I get out of line."

"Noted," Annie says quietly, hiding her smile behind a glass of wine. Finn stares at her dopily, an expression that has become standard for him throughout their dinner.

Katniss rolls her eyes behind his back before mouthing to Annie to text her later. She and Peeta say their goodbyes before heading out.

A couple enters the restaurant just as he and Katniss reach the door and Peeta guides her out of the way with a hand on the small of her back. She tries not to tense up at the action lest he pull his hand away, but he moves to hold the door open for her and she decides that this is an acceptable alternative.

"Oh, I'm over here," Peeta says, once they reach the parking lot, pointing to a silver Prius. He clicks the locks and opens the passenger door for her, waiting until she's settled to close it gently with a sheepish smile. For someone who seemed so uncomfortable with the situation, he certainly has all his date moves down.

As he walks around to car, she takes a moment to inspect it, finding a booster seat in the back and a few action figures on the floor...including one under her foot.

Peeta settles into the driver's seat, shooting her a grimace when he sees her picking up the Batman figure.

"Oh, that's mine," he says, taking it from her and throwing it on the backseat. Katniss laughs and shakes her head, staring out the window as he pulls away so she won't keep looking at him like some love-struck teenager.

"So," Katniss ventures after a moment of silence, "Was that a real phone call?"

"I'm sorry?" he asks, glancing at her quickly, clearly caught off guard.

"Well, you know how people always have, like, a contingency plan to get out of bad dates? You know, 'Hey man, call me at 9:30 with a fake emergency and if it's a dud, I'll have an excuse to run out'?" She says this in a deep, mockingly male voice.

"Is that supposed to be me?" Peeta's brows furrow, but he's smiling through it. She can't stop her laughter this time. "No, really," he persists, over the sound of her giggling, "Is that what you think I sound like? Why do all women affect that stupid man voice when they imitate us? Why is that a universal thing?"

She has to take deep breaths before her laughter subsides. "Why do you _think_?" She widens her eyes at him like this is obvious.

"All right, all right," he agrees with a chuckle. "For the record, _yes_, that was a real phone call. I didn't even know this would be a..."

At this, their laughter tapers off and Peeta clears his throat awkwardly.

"Anyway, as much as I love my kid, a night that didn't include watching the same episode of _Spongebob_ three times in a row was something I was looking forward to."

"Well, I'm sorry it didn't work out," Katniss says sincerely.

"I didn't say I didn't enjoy it," he tells her, a sly grin on his face. She's grateful that he can't stare at her too long before having to refocus his attention on the road.

"Ben is adorable, by the way," Katniss says after a moment, her mind back on the little Jedi-in-training who looked at his dad like he was the center of the universe.

"Thank you," Peeta says softly, and she can tell by staring at his profile that he's holding back a larger smile. "It's a lot of work, even just for half the week, but he's...basically my favorite thing in the world."

Warmth spreads from her chest outward, making her feel light and stupid, like she'll have to stop herself from begging him to pull the car over so she can run her tongue over the stubble on his jaw.

When he speaks again, he sounds less certain. "It's good to hear you say that. I, uh...I couldn't tell how you felt about kids."

"Who, me?" she mocks. "Of Giggles Play Cafe?" He chuckles, but his words make her slightly uncomfortable, and she fears that she could be perpetually coming off as some kind of cold child-hater. "I do like kids, you know. I practically raised my little sister. I'm sure that's how I convinced them to hire me. They like that sentimental shtick."

Katniss expects him to laugh, but he looks over at her for a moment, seeming to mull over her words.

"It doesn't have to be about that. Just because you don't do babytalk and coddling doesn't mean you don't care. In fact," he ventures carefully, "I imagine you're pretty good at taking care of people. Annie's lucky to have you."

Her mouth goes dry. It's probably only been 30 seconds, but it feels like hours have passed when she finally speaks.

"Thanks. I, um, you don't-" she scrubs her hand over her face. "Sorry. I'm really bad with compliments."

"That means you don't get them enough," Peeta responds smoothly.

"Is that so?" she asks, trying to sound wry rather than deeply interested. "Well, don't let me stop you."

"I was going to say you look beautiful tonight," he says, lifting a hand from the wheel in a deliberately casual gesture. The sound of her sucking in breath is too loud in the confined space. "But you'd probably get all awkward and twitchy, so I won't even bother."

Katniss smacks his shoulder, a stupid, flirty gesture she's judgmentally watched other women do a million times, but she can't stop herself. He doesn't seem to mind either.

"Thanks a lot," she laughs. "Besides, I had nowhere to go but up, considering what I looked like the last time you saw me."

Peeta glances at her, his expression genuinely confused.

"You remember. Bad polyester, ugly shoes, ratty hair," she reminds him.

"I do _not_ remember that," he says, and she vaguely registers him turning onto her street. "I don't think anyone's paying attention to the polyester when they look at you."

Her mouth drops open and she blinks way too many times. Peeta glances back and forth between her face and the road, seemingly as unsettled by his words as she is, and desperate for her reaction. It doesn't matter that he can't see the redness of her cheeks in the dark car; Finn was right when he said she was easy to read and it's nearly impossible to reign in her complete disbelief.

"I'm sorry," Peeta finally says, getting the words out quickly and quietly. "That was...forward."

"No, no," she jumps in, because it doesn't even matter if it was. She liked it. "It's fine...that was really...I-"

"You're welcome," he says with a quiet chuckle, his eyes now firmly on the road.

"Oh!" she shouts and his head jerks in her direction. "This is me, right up here. Sorry...didn't want you to pass it."

Peeta pulls up to the curb in front of her apartment complex. They both suck in deep breaths at the same time and the nervous tension in the air is palpable.

"Well, thanks for the ride," Katniss finally says, trying not to rub her sweaty palms on her jeans. Suddenly, her lips feel dry, too, but she doesn't want to lick them. Every small movement feels like some flashing neon sign advertising her thoughts. He seems to be having trouble looking at her, too.

"Yeah, of course," he says emphatically, offering a polite smile that seems forced. Why _now_ all of times was this charming man suddenly at a loss, leaving her to flounder? In every other aspect of her life, she'd have no trouble taking the lead. But this is completely to foreign to her and she doesn't like how invested she is already, or how deep her need is to know his thoughts.

"Well, it...it was good to see you again," she tells him, forcing herself to hold his gaze with a smile.

"Yeah, you, too," Peeta says softly, his voice almost a whisper. Her blood is thundering in her ears and she distantly wonders if he can hear it. "Well, take care, Katniss." The look on his face is warm, but from the tone of his voice- cordial and detached- she _knows _this is a brush off.

Later, she'll catalog all of nervous tics she cycles through in this moment- swallowing heavily, licking her dry lips, fidgeting with the to-go box in her hands- but currently it feels like she merely jumps out of the car like it's on fire, unable to manage more than a shaky smile in his direction.

"You, too. Thanks!" she says loudly over the sound of her slamming the car door behind her. She waits until she's walking away to cringe, waving her hand behind her in case he's still watching, just one final, futile attempt to make it seem like his bush off didn't crush her in a completely unexpected way.

* * *

"Okay, I'm out of here," Annie says, slightly harried as she juggles her coat, purse, and phone.

"Have a good night," Katniss responds absently, pinning her braid up so it's off her neck for the evening.

When she looks up, Annie is standing by the locker room door, studying her with a concerned look. She tries to cover it with a smile, but this only makes Katniss roll her eyes in return.

"I'm _fine_," Katniss insists. "Go out with your boyfriend-"

"He's not-"

"Have fun. Be _safe_," she says with emphasis.

"Stop!" Annie laughs. "We haven't even-" she gestures vaguely, pink tinging her cheeks.

"Seriously?" Katniss asks, her eyes narrowing skeptically.

"It's only been a week! Anyway, it's kind of fun...making him suffer," she says with an impish grin.

"Alright, I don't need the kinky details," Katniss teases, leaning against her locker.

Annie doesn't take the bait; instead, her face becomes sad again, and almost pitying. Katniss can't take it.

"You know, after you get out tonight," Annie ventures, "you can meet up with me and Finn. We could see a movie or something."

A few weeks ago, Annie would have never treated her like this. She knew as well as anyone that Katniss cared very little about dating or maintaining an active social life, and she had never pushed anything on her before. But Annie had been making these kind of pity offers ever since the morning after their faux-double date.

That day, Annie had been dreamy and excited in a way that only _she _could pull off without it being annoying, and Katniss tried to keep the focus on her and Finn- to no avail. It seemed that Annie was equally excited by the prospect of something happening between Katniss and Peeta...until Katniss had to embarrassingly admit that there _was no_ Katniss and Peeta. Annie's mouth dropped open when Katniss emphasized repeatedly that Peeta really did not ask for her phone number, go in for a kiss, or give any indication that he wanted to see her again.

In fact, Annie made Katniss re-tell the story of those last few minutes in the car so many times, and in so much excruciating detail, that Katniss threatened to get up and walk out.

"Annie, I'm fine. Stop babying me." Annie opens her mouth to protest, but Katniss cuts her off with a hard look. "Seriously. I'll get Life Alert if it makes you feel better. That way I won't die alone...or I could, but at least it won't be days before my neighbors discover the body. Now, that would really be sad."

Annie wrinkles her nose in distaste, but Katniss merely points to the door.

"Okay, I'm going," Annie says softly, chagrined. "And I'll stop bugging you, but maybe we could do something this weekend, just you and me."

"Sounds good," Katniss says with a smile, but she doesn't put a lot of stock in Annie's words. It's clear she's head over heels to the point where she gets twitchy spending any amount of time away from Finn. And as annoying as that is, Katniss would never begrudge Annie her newfound happiness.

The hours drag on as they often do on weekday afternoons. The cafe is busier than the play area, mostly occupied by stay-at-home moms with kids too young for school. This means a lot of carriages and kids who can't walk, which is a dream for Katniss, but it doesn't make her day go by any quicker.

At some point, she notices that the rope ladder is hanging precariously from one side, but instead of waiting for maintenance to fix it, Katniss takes advantage of the lull and gets to work on it with some tools she finds in the supply closet. She has no idea how much time passes as she works on it, but eventually, her attention is caught by a flash in the corner of her eye. A child whizzes past her and she slides the hammer through her belt loop so she can get back to supervising.

What she doesn't expect is to find Ben sitting in the corner, blonde curls flopping into his eyes, ramming two trains into each other on the set's tracks. Her eyes fly to the cafe area, frantically searching for his dad, but she doesn't spot him anywhere. She takes that moment to compose herself so that Peeta doesn't walk up and see her anxiously scanning the room for him like a crazy person. Instead, she makes her way over to his mini-me.

"Kat-niss!" he yells when she walks up, his little voice breaking her name into two very distinct syllables.

"Obi-Wan," she responds seriously. It feels weird to be so familiar, even if it is with a seven-year-old, but it's better than a pet name, she figures. And it seems to work, because he throws his head back and laughs a goofy, childish giggle that makes her smile uncontrollably.

"Isn't he a little young for you?" a deep voice sounds in her ear and she jumps. Ben laughs harder. Not that he understands the joke, but the image of his daddy scaring the crap out of her is probably funny enough.

"Hi," Katniss says a little breathlessly. She mentally scolds herself for not making her greeting colder.

"Hello," Peeta says with a warm smile, walking around to stand in front of her. It makes it harder for her to avoid eye contact, but she tries to keep her focus on Ben instead.

"How are you?" he asks, when it's clear she's not going to say anything.

"Fine." She smiles tightly. She wants to walk away _so_ badly, but they know each other now, he's not some random stranger she can just ignore. But surely he knows, and can see, how uncomfortable she is, and how badly she's dealing with the lingering disappointment from that night. The least he could do is let her down easy and walk away, or at least find a Chuck E. Cheese to frequent instead.

"I missed the polyester," Peeta gestures playfully. She makes a vague noise in response, pretending to monitor the rest of the play area. It's futile, of course; there's only one other kid there and he's basically napping at the foot of the slide.

She can't resist looking up to meet Peeta's eyes and when she does, she finds him scrutinizing her carefully. It's just as disconcerting as it was the day they met, but this time her answering flush is coupled with anxiety that burns in her gut, instead of butterflies.

"I should get back to work," Katniss tells him. She's beyond caring about being abrupt, or trying to cover up the fact that she's so obviously wounded. He sees through her too easily anyway and she wants to end this before she really embarrasses herself.

"Oh," he says, the disappointment clear in his voice. He affects a casual stance, leaning back on his heels and shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Aren't you, ya know, _at _work? You need me to get you a tool belt or something?" He smiles crookedly and gestures to the hammer hanging from her belt loop.

"Um, yeah, I was just fixing something, but I should get this back," she tells him, looking at her shoes, her belt, anywhere that is not his charmingly handsome, stupid face.

"Oh, right. Well, do you get a break any time soon? Maybe you could keep me company up there," he says, gesturing toward the bistro tables in the cafe. "We can watch Ben destroy the train set."

A few feet away, Ben is still making random crashing sounds as he sends the toy train cars into each other over and over again, his lips pursed, practically spitting to get the right effect. It's a typical little boy noise she's more than familiar with and it makes her soften imperceptibly.

But this is leading down the same path she was on before- the one that went absolutely nowhere.

"I really should focus on 'supervising'," she says, taking a step back and shrugging in a weak apology.

Peeta's face falls and she feels a twinge in her chest, but it's just easier this way. There's no need to get her hopes up again.

"O-okay, sure," he says, forcing a pained smile. He must read something like pity her face, because he tries to deflect and shrug it off. "We'll probably head out soon anyway. I'm pretty tired, but Ben practically begged me to come."

"No, I didn't, Daddy!" Ben shouts in response, his trains forgotten for the moment. Peeta's face burns bright red to his ears and Katniss looks between the two of them in confusion. "You said we had to come! You promised me a milkshake and everything!"

"Um...he's not-" Peeta stammers, struggling to come up with a response.

"You shouldn't lie, Dad," Ben cuts in again, like he could sense his father's intentions. Peeta lets out a heaving breath and reaches down to sweep Ben's hair off his forehead.

"You're right, boss," he says affectionately, and Ben giggles in response. "Why don't you just play for a minute while I talk to Katniss, okay?"

Ben is back to his collisions before Peeta can even step away. He offers Katniss a sheepish smile, nervously scratching behind his ear before gesturing her off to the side. He doesn't speak until they're out of hearing range.

"I'm so sorry," Peeta says, visibly deflating and scrubbing a hand over his face.

"What's going on?" Katniss asks, utterly baffled as to what has transpired in the past few minutes.

"I just got called out by my seven-year-old," he mutters, running a hand through his hair and pulling at the unruly strands.

"I don't understand," she persists, refusing to settle for any more signals she's hopeless at deciphering.

"Well, I, um...possibly bribed my own kid so I had an excuse to come here?" His voice goes up as if in question, and he looks at her apprehensively.

Katniss can't help but laugh, incredulous, her breath catching in her throat. "For what?"

"For you," he says softly. Her mouth drops open. He bravely attempts to hold her gaze, but she can sense his hands twitching at his side like he's struggling not to fidget. "I mean, I wanted to see you," he explains when she doesn't respond.

Katniss continues to stare at him blankly.

"I know," Peeta says, responding as if she had spoken. "I am so sorry. I'm really bad at this and..."

"But...why did you want to see me?" Her mind is spinning and, really, it has been since she met him. Even if it's bad, whatever it is he has to say, she just wants it in plain language so she can make sense of it and move forward without having to deal with this endless cycle of hope and disappointment.

"Um, is that not obvious?" he asks with a light chuckle, pink still staining his cheeks.

"No, it's really not," she says, shaking her head in frustration. "I mean, why did you need an excuse to see me? You could have just...That night when you dropped me off, I thought maybe...but I've always been so bad at reading people." She reaches up to tug at her braid, a reflexive gesture, before realizing it's pinned up; she nervously pulls on her collar instead.

"No, you're _not_," Peeta jumps in, and takes a step closer to her. "You read me just fine, probably too well. If anything, I thought I was coming on way too strong and you were just kind of...humoring me or taking pity on a sad, old divorced guy."

Katniss takes him in, from the self-deprecating look on his handsome face, to the placid blue of his eyes and the way his flannel shirt strains at his biceps. A laugh escapes her. "Wow. I was trying to figure out why a guy like you is still single, but clearly you're just delusional," she tells him bluntly.

"Thank you!" he says sarcastically, but he finishes with a laugh and his lips stay turned up in that blinding smile. She grins back at him, biting her lip in an entirely new kind of nervousness. Saying exactly what's on her mind is much, much easier.

"You know, you kind of put me through the ringer here," she chides, and the smile drops from his face.

"I know," he says, his voice lowering and apology clearly written on his face. "I swear I didn't mean to. I thought I was just reading into it what I wanted to. I mean, you called me a creep within minutes of meeting me, with that cute scowl on your face, and I swear, I have never been so desperate to get a woman to like me." His confession is met with narrowed grey eyes, but she can't make her mouth screw up in that famous scowl, not when he's looking at her like a guilty puppy. As it is, her heart is pounding like it's about to beat out of her chest. "I wasn't trying to play games...I wouldn't even know how, honestly. I'm sort of out of practice."

Katniss ignores that last statement because, really, so is she. "This is the probably most elaborate thing a guy has ever done to get my number," she tells him instead.

"Well, surely that should count for something," Peeta jokes, looking at her hopefully.

"I would have given it to you," she says seriously, confidently holding his gaze for the first time that afternoon, "On that first day, if you'd asked."

His expression shifts subtly- there's heat in his gaze and she can hear his breathing, _see_ the way it expels more heavily from his lips. There must be a similar expression on her face- especially now that she's blatantly _staring_ at his mouth- because he steps forward, so close to her that she has to look up to maintain eye contact. He leans down, his eyes hooded, and hers begin to close-

"Daaaaad!" comes a whine. They spring apart. Katniss smoothes her hair down as if something had actually happened, and she is completely mortified that she was about to do this _at her job in a kids' center._ She was about to make out with a single father next to the train set.

_Oh my god, I'm Finnick_, she thinks in horror.

"Yeah buddy?" Peeta asks, his voice strained, whether with lingering arousal or annoyance, it's impossible to tell.

"You promised me a milkshake!"

A laugh bubbles up before she can stop it and soon, Katniss is doubled over with laughter. Peeta tries to shoot her a stern look, but he can't keep the smile off his face, and Ben eyes them both curiously and with growing impatience.

"This is what you get," she says, struggling to catch her breath. "Bribing a child. _Lying._" Ben perks up at this.

"Yeah, Dad! You shouldn't lie," he says again. "You put me in the corner for lying about what happened to Marla's Barbie."

Katniss' laughter starts back up, and soon Ben is giggling as well.

"Perfect," Peeta mutters. "Now I owe my son a milkshake _and_ a humbling lecture on morality. Thank you, Katniss."

"You're welcome," she says, smiling deviously at him.

"So, you gonna go out with me, or what? I'm exhausted," he tells her dryly, dimples just barely showing in his cheeks.

"Yeah, all right." She shrugs. They smile goofily at each other again, until Ben starts tugging at Peeta's jeans.

"Okay, dude, we'll get going. Don't be rude," he adds sternly, gesturing at Katniss.

Ben looks chagrined for a moment. "Katniss can come, too, Dad. Do you like milkshakes?" he questions Katniss seriously.

"Um, I do," she says, secretly touched that he'd want her to tag along. "But I have to work the rest of the night. Have two milkshakes for me, okay?"

"No. Way," Peeta cuts in when a large smile makes its way across his son's face. Immediately, Ben looks like he's going to start pouting again.

"I can walk you out to the car," Katniss offers, eager to finish their conversation before Ben has a meltdown. Peeta smiles at her gratefully. "Oh, just, let me put this back..." She gestures awkwardly to the hammer she had forgotten about.

Katniss hurries to the supply closet and is ready to throw it in the toolbox and run back, when she notices a resealed paint bucket pushed toward the back. An idea comes to mind, and she frantically roots through the closet before finding a small paintbrush.

She rushes back onto the floor to find Peeta kneeling down and tickling at Ben's sides to try to put a smile on his grumpy face.

"Hey, Ben. Come here for a minute," Katniss says, grabbing his hand and pulling him along before he can protest.

"What are we doing?" Ben finally asks when they stop in front of the mural of the solar system on the far wall.

"Hold on," Katniss tells him, leaving him to curiously inspect the mural again while she pries open the lid of the paint can with her keychain. Once it's open, she takes the small brush from her pocket and dips it into the off-white paint, just enough so that it doesn't drip.

Ben watches her with wide eyes.

"Wanna help me out with something?" she asks him.

He nods enthusiastically.

"Okay, good. Because I need someone to help me fix this painting. A smart guy told me there's something missing."

"Pluto!" he says in wonder. She smiles at him and gestures towards the wall.

"We can't leave off the ninth planet from the Sun. You wanna do the honors?" she asks. Ben's eyes fill with gleeful mischief.

"Yeah!" he eagerly agrees.

Katniss hands him the paintbrush. "Okay, up we go," she says, grabbing him around the waist and boosting him up so he's aligned with the position of the rest of the planets. He reaches out toward the wall with the brush clutched in his fist, before turning back to her tentatively.

"Go on, it's okay," she encourages.

Ben starts by making a tentative dot with the paint and pulls his hand back like he got a shock. He and Katniss both laugh like guilty children, and he thrusts his arm back out, adding to the dot, making a bigger and bigger circle against the midnight blue background.

"Okay, okay!" Katniss says, after a minute, inadvertently shaking him in her arms with her laughter. "Pluto's supposed to be small, dude!"

She sets him on his feet and playfully takes the paintbrush away.

"Dad!" Ben yells. "Katniss let me paint Pluto on the wall!"

Katniss is busy sealing the lid back on the can, so it takes her a moment to look up. When she does, she finds Ben jumping up and down next to Peeta, who is frozen in place and staring at her in awe. She stands slowly, never breaking their eye contact. It's a struggle not to shift nervously on her feet.

Peeta finally breaks out of his trance to pull Ben to his side affectionately. "That's looks awesome, Benji." The pride in the little boy's eyes is apparent, and he beams in response to his father's approval. "Come on, let's get you hopped up on sugar," Peeta says.

Before Katniss can register what's happening, Peeta has grabbed her hand and is pulling her along without question, Ben tucked under his other arm. She can't help but notice how small her hand feels in his, captured in his tight grip.

He doesn't break his stride until they've walked outside to the front curb where his car is parked. He finally lets go of her hand to help Ben into the back seat.

Katniss watches Peeta buckle Ben in carefully. She takes a nervous step back on the sidewalk.

Peeta shuts the door softly before turning to her, meeting her eyes intensely. Suddenly, he's in front of her, his hands gripping her hips, guiding her gently backward so that they're standing behind his car. Her eyes flit to the back window where she can see the back of Ben's head and the way he's intently focused on his action figures.

"Um," Katniss ventures, licking her lips. "Sorry about that. I probably should have asked your permiss-"

She's cut off by the feeling of his lips against hers, forceful at first, sucking the air from her lungs. But they both shift almost instinctively and their lips slide into place, soft and pliant. She reaches up to grip his shoulders and the material of his shirt is soft under her searching fingers. Peeta grips her hips even tighter before lifting one hand to slide along her neck and into her hair; she can feel her braid pull slightly from where it's secured, but she can't find it in her to complain.

Katniss' mouth parts and he takes her top lip into his mouth, licking and nipping at it _so_ softly, before pulling slowly away. Her eyes are still screwed shut and she follows him without thought, swaying slightly forward, before finally opening her eyes to find him staring at her, his chest heaving.

Katniss licks her lips absently, tasting him there and regretting the loss. Peeta leans forward, sliding his nose against her own before resting his forehead on hers.

"You free Friday?" he asks quietly. She hums in response. His lips turn up. "7 o'clock?"

"Mhmm," she agrees.

He moves his fingers in her hair and the way they dig softly into her scalp and pull lightly at the strands sends shivers down her spine. He uses the same hand to tilt her head back so he can plant another soft kiss on her lips.

Before her eyes have a chance to slide shut again, he's pulling away again.

"Thanks for making my day," Peeta says, running a thumb over her cheekbone. "And Ben's."

"Okay," she replies absently. He laughs and turns away, walking to the around to the driver's side door. He sends her a goofy wave before climbing in and after a second, she sees Ben doing the same thing from the back.

She really doesn't stand a chance.

* * *

Coffee. She's supposed to be here for coffee. Katniss doesn't even _like_ coffee, but she found herself saying yes before he'd even gotten the entire sentence out. All she knew was that, yes, she wanted to come inside for any multitude of reasons- like the fact that she didn't want their date to end or for him to stop looking at her like that or touching her, and she _really_ didn't want to leave without knowing how long she'd have to wait to see him again. But that all just seemed like a mouthful of vulnerability.

So, coffee.

Although, to be fair, Peeta doesn't seem all that interested in coffee either because once they'd gotten five steps into his house, he did a sweeping gesture of his living room, she teased him about his tidiness, he jokingly warned her not to look in the closet...and after approximately three seconds of silence, they launched at each other.

Their date had started off much as she expected- nervous anticipation coupled with genuine affection that had already been established. The two of them had joked at some point that this was more like their second or third date if you took into account their contentious first meeting and awkward double date. This explanation also just seemed like a good excuse for more touching.

Peeta took her to a German restaurant and she'd fallen in love with spätzle. Apparently, he had needled Annie for innocent information, discovering that Katniss was definitely a meat and cheese girl who enjoyed documentaries and black comedies, and hated dressing up. The latter of which is probably why Peeta's mouth dropped open when he came to her door and she answered it in a dress; his expression was quickly replaced with an inordinately pleased grin that made Katniss scowl at him.

Over dinner, they discussed everything from their childhoods (a shaky subject for both of them), to education and careers, and even casually touched on their past relationships.

Peeta told her about Delly, Ben's mom, who was basically his high school sweetheart, though he didn't call her that. Apparently, they began dating as seniors after years of being friends and people insisting they were destined for more. As Peeta told it, they were fond of each other, having been close since childhood, but there was never any passion in their relationship and they continued on more out of a sense of security and obligation than anything else. It had taken years for them to admit that they just didn't feel that way about each other, and by that point, they had Ben and a marriage younger than two years.

Neither of them wanted to dwell on their exes, but Peeta felt she had a right to know. In turn, she'd briefly gone over her past relationships, as short-lived and disastrous as those had been.

"Nothing long-term?" Peeta asked.

"Not really," she said, and she sensed him studying her closely. "Does that bother you?"

"No, definitely not, but..." he trailed off, narrowing his eyes at her playfully. "How old are you, anyway?"

Katniss laughed loudly, trying to decide how much to play with him. "Is that what you're worried about?" she teased. "Old enough to drink this beer...almost."

Peeta almost choked at this.

"I'm kidding!" she said over the distressed noises coming form his mouth. "I just turned twenty-three."

"Christ, that's not funny," he said, dramatically clutching his chest. Katniss rolled her eyes. "I'm twenty-eight...by the way."

"Oh," she said quietly, chewing on her lip. When she looked up, his expression was crestfallen. "Peeta, I'm teasing you again. I don't care. I didn't assume you had Ben at like, 15, you know."

His mouth quirked up in a half smile, and she reached across the table to grab his hand reassuringly. His thumb stroked across the back of her hand, and he played with her fingers for the next half hour.

This action seemed to set the precedent for the rest of the night because the further they got into the date, the more entwined they became. By the time they were walking into the movie theater, his arm was draped across her shoulders and hers was secured around his waist. She had never been a fan of PDA, always overly conscious of the stares it might draw, but tucked into his side, she found herself thinking less and less about other people.

At one point during the movie, Peeta dropped her hand to grab for his soda, and she moved it to his thigh instead. The straw squeaked as he sucked in too quickly; Katniss merely bit back a smile and kept her eyes on the screen.

He leaned over, whispering into her ear, "You know, that's distracting."

She turned to look him in the eyes, the blue shining even in the darkness. "This movie is boring," she whispered back and he laughed quietly. When she turned back to the screen, she expected him to straighten up in his own seat again; he didn't. Instead, he leaned into her again, this time dragging his nose along the length of her neck up to her earlobe, making her shiver.

"That tickles," she told him breathlessly.

"Sorry," he responded, sounding just the opposite.

Their gazes locked again, and it only took a quick glance of his eyes down to her mouth before she was pulling him forward to close the distance, her hand grasping at the back of his neck and sliding into his soft hair.

They were well on their way to making out in the theater like a pair of teenagers, his tongue touching hers for the first time, when an old man hit Peeta in the back of the head with an M&M, muttering something about "horny kids." They pulled apart guiltily, Katniss hiding her face in her hands, and Peeta struggling to suppress his laughter.

After that, Katniss could swear that something happened in the movie, there was a car ride, and an invitation into his house for a drink, but she couldn't remember what kind.

All she knows is that, presently, she is sucking on Peeta's tongue like she's been dreaming about for longer than she'd willingly admit.

She's drawn from her thoughts when Peeta pushes her against the wall, his hands traveling from her hips up to her ribs, again and again, just grazing the sides of her breasts every time, making her muscles tense up exquisitely. He coaxes her tongue into his mouth, sucking on it gently before releasing it slowly, his teeth grazing it so that she moans into his mouth.

"Is this too fast?" he pants, immediately nipping at her bottom lip like he needs one last taste in case she says yes.

"No," Katniss says, equally breathless. "We're just kissing." She gives him a soft peck before swiping her tongue out to drag across the seam of his lips. Peeta groans before grasping her hips, forcing her away from his body, and holding her against the wall.

"I'm serious, Katniss." His voice is low and gruff, and the way he's forcefully pressing into the wall isn't doing anything to suppress the ache or convince her to slow _anything_ down.

"You said this was like our third date," she argues, eyes flashing mischievously. His fingers twitch again her hips and she swears she can feel their warmth sear through her dress to her skin.

"That's a stupid rule," he chides gently, but she can feel him relenting.

"They're all stupid rules," she returns. His lips slide up in that sexy smirk. He looks like he may open his mouth to protest again, so she pries his fingers from her sides and takes his hands in her own, stepping forward into his space again and pushing them behind his back like he's being handcuffed. "_Yes_, Peeta."

This is all it takes. He surges forward and captures her mouth again in a devastating kiss. They lick and bite and suck until both of their lips are red and swollen and before she can register what's happening, he's slipping from her grasp on his wrists and turning her hands expertly so he can get a grip on them. Katniss studies him with wide eyes but his confident gaze doesn't waver as he brings her hands over her head and quickly turns her around so she's facing the wall.

Her arms stretch fully above her head and she keeps her hands together, flattening her palms against the wall to brace herself. The breath stutters in her chest, but she's never been so turned on in her life.

Peeta leans into her, his feet on either side of hers, and the weight of his solid chest presses against her back. He feels so firm and warm that it's all she can do not to turn around and peel the clothes from his body to explore every inch of his golden skin. But he's got her trapped in a way that has her entire body buzzing with anticipation and there's no way she's moving an inch until she finds out what he's up to.

Peeta drags his hands down her outstretched arms, over her back, and to her sides again in the way that made her shiver before- except this time, he doesn't stop at her waist. He lets his hands travel farther, brushing against her hipbones and continuing down her legs over the fabric of her dress. When he reaches her knees, he moves his hands back up and they skim lightly over the skin of her thighs, dragging the dress up with them.

"Okay?" he asks lowly in her ear.

"Yes," Katniss gasps, and it's his new favorite word. "I'll tell you if something's not okay. Promise."

She never does or says anything she doesn't mean, and Peeta's learning that quickly enough. But he's also a sensitive guy, the kind that packs his son's favorite toys every day or makes his sick girlfriend homemade soup, and while she's secretly looking forward to the latter possibility in what she can only hope is a future with him, right now she doesn't need him to be sweet and tentative. Not when it's so clear that there's another side of him- one that currently has her pressed against the wall and is practically growling into her ear.

All coherent thought is pushed from her mind when she feels his hands reach the sides of her panties. A whimper escapes her and Peeta's response is immediate; he thrusts into her almost unconsciously, his hips pressing into her ass so that she can feel every hard inch of him.

Katniss drops her head down in some futile attempt to get more oxygen to her brain. Her eyes absently note the brown baseboards in what seemed to be a lovely Craftsman home...in the five seconds she spent studying it, anyway. She also focuses on his shoes, especially when he moves one of his feet between hers and gently guides her left foot out to the side, spreading her legs farther apart.

The only sound in the room is their heavy breathing and each second seems to tick by in exquisite agony. One of his hands moves up her body, leaving the skirt of her dress hanging over the hand that still lingers at her pelvis. He moves his wandering hand up the planes of her flat stomach, causing her abs to contract, before moving it over her breast and cupping her gently. She moans some approximation of a word that means _yes_.

Peeta squeezes it gently before moving to her neckline, pulling at the side of her dress so that the flimsy sleeve hangs down, the lightweight jersey material giving way easily. With half of her bra exposed (a sexy black one that she had dug frantically through her drawers to find), he moves his hand back to her breast, swiping over the material again, his thumb dragging deliberately against her hardened nipple before moving straight inside the cup itself.

Katniss presses the side of her face against the wall, seeking something to steady her besides the solid length of his body behind her. Peeta takes this opportunity to suck on her neck, trailing kisses up to her ear before bringing the lobe into his mouth.

"Oh god," she whispers.

"You smell so good," Peeta says, licking her neck again. This assault, coupled with the feeling of his hand pinching nipple and then smoothing over it almost rhythmically, has her rocking her hips back against his erection; his sounds begin to mimic her own.

Katniss is being lulled into some kind of lust-filled trance where she's aware of nothing outside of her body and his...until the hand on her hipbone moves and her attention is snapped back into focus. She turns her head again, looking down so she can watch, and she feels his chin on her shoulder like he has the same idea.

The blue fabric curtains over his fist and he runs his hand over her pelvis, catching on that silly, tiny bow they insist on putting on every piece of women's lingerie. He drags his hand up over the waistband of her panties...just so he can move it back down and underneath them. She bites her lip to keep a whine from escaping. His large hand cups over her before he brings two fingers up through her folds, spreading her teasingly. She is embarrassingly wet and it's a struggle not to close her legs, whether to trap his hand there or keep him from feeling it, she's not sure.

"Fuck, you're sexy," Peeta says, burying his face in her neck. "I have never wanted a woman more."

At this, she whines. Her thigh muscles relax subtly.

He brings his fingers up and down a few more times as if reveling in her wetness, before he dips one teasingly into her entrance. Katniss practically claws at the wall.

"Lift up your dress," he says suddenly, his breath quick in her ear. "I want to see you."

Normally, she'd be mortified. It took her a long time before she even wanted to have sex with the lights on. But right now, nothing could be hotter, especially when the demand is coming from his lips.

"Don't you want to watch?" Peeta asks teasingly, as if reading her thoughts. Katniss nods quickly.

She keeps one hand on the wall and reaches the other one down to gather the skirt and hurriedly fist it in her hand, up and out of his way. He moves his hand from her, and she almost squeaks out a protest until she feels him hurriedly pulling her underwear down to her knees, not bothering to take them all the way off before bringing his hand back to her center.

His fingers are slightly colder now from being exposed to the air and she gasps when they drag through her folds again. This time, he slides two fingers inside of her, slowly, making sure she's comfortable, until they're deep enough that he can crook his fingers, making her nearly scream out. His thumb begins drawing quick, light circles on her clit.

"Harder," Katniss begs. Instead of adding more pressure with his thumb, he pulls his fingers out of her and brings them to her clit, circling firmly and so steadily that any complaint she may have made dies on her lips. She can feel her release approaching rapidly and her thigh muscles quiver in response. Her knees almost buckle with the feeling, but Peeta takes his hand from where it was paying decadent attention to her nipple, and grabs her hip to steady her.

"I want to hear you come," Peeta says into her hair, breathing her in. "Later, I want to watch you, too."

Katniss tries to think of a witty response like, _Works for me_, but her brain feels like vapor and she can't force her mouth to make any sounds except for moans that are steadily becoming higher in pitch.

"Oh fuck," she finally manages, "Oh! Peeta..." His name transforms into a sharp cry, wrenched from her mouth as all of the pressure builds to an unbearable point, and she comes hard, all of the muscles in her body seizing up...before releasing deliciously. He slides his fingers back inside her briefly, prolonging her orgasm and the throbbing in her center.

After a long moment of trying to regain her breath- and her basic motor skills- she leans back against Peeta's chest, letting her head loll back onto his broad shoulder. She finally drops the fabric of her skirt where she had been holding it to her stomach and her fingers are stiff from how hard she clenched it.

Peeta slowly slides his fingers out of her and brings them to his mouth. Her heavily hooded eyes snap open to watch him with a mix of shock and arousal as he sucks on his fingers.

"You're too much," Katniss groans, feeling boneless. She remembers the pair of panties that are still hanging from her knees and she lets them fall to the floor and kicks them away, along with her flats.

Peeta just smirks and kisses her temple. She hums happily.

"Too much...in a bad way?" he asks carefully.

"No, no," she reassures him softly. "Just...more than I expected." A happy laugh escapes her lips. "I'm sure I'll learn to live with it," she adds dryly.

He opens his mouth to respond when her knees wobble again. Peeta turns her around and guides her to the couch where she fits snugly into his lap.

This would be a perfect moment...if she weren't cuddled against his stiff jeans and button up.

"How are you still fully dressed?" Katniss complains.

"Well...you're still mostly dressed," Peeta notes, nuzzling her neck. She's missing her underwear and her dress is still pulled down over her bra. She shoots him a look and he takes her in from head to toe. "You're right, I regret it. I should have taken it all off."

"You were in a hurry, apparently," she says, running her lips along his stubbly jaw. "Now take off your shirt."

"Yes, ma'am," he says, with a cheeky smile.

Watching Peeta slowly undo his shirt, button by button, revealing new patches of smooth skin, is some kind of exquisite torture, especially when her body is buzzing with equal amounts of satisfaction and anticipation; it doesn't help that his erection is still straining against his jeans. Katniss impulsively runs her palm over his crotch and his hands stumble with a button for a moment, before he regains his focus and undoes the rest of them hastily.

She scrambles off of his lap while he's pulling his shirt off. Peeta studies her nervously when she stands in front of him, like he's afraid she's going to run out. His fears are assuaged when she merely tugs her dress over her head and drops it behind her to the coffee table. His mouth drops open, the shirt hanging from his forearms, forgotten, as he takes her in front head to toe.

"Off," she says sternly, and he pulls his shirt off immediately, making her squeal when he grabs her and hauls her into his lap so she's straddling him. Before she can settle fully against him, he's drawing her in for a deep kiss, his hands running through her dark hair. Peeta thrusts up against her and she gasps at the feeling of his stiff cock rubbing against her bare center through thick denim. "You didn't finish," she whines into his mouth. His eyebrow furrow in confusion before she gestures to his pants.

"Take off your bra and I'll take off my pants," Peeta challenges, nipping at the soft skin of her shoulder.

Katniss grabs the hair at the nape of his neck to pull him away and Peeta shivers slightly in response- she'll have to remember that for later. It distracts him enough so that she can pin his shoulders to the back of the couch and lean into him, using her weight to keep him in place, even as he reaches futilely for her mouth.

"Get naked," she orders lowly, licking his top lip playfully and pulling back before he can respond, "And I'll get naked."

The corner of his mouth lifts slowly. "Deal."

The word has barely left his mouth when he thrusts up so forcefully that she falls into him, her crotch fitting deliciously against his, making her moan into his neck and _completely_ miss the fact that he threw her off balance so he could free his hands to unclasp her bra.

"Peeta!" Katniss squeaks, and leans back to challenge him, but he just takes this opportunity to pull the straps down her arms and toss her bra away. Before the scowl can fully settle on her face, he lifts her up and lays her lengthwise on the couch.

Her eyes grow wide; she feels intensely vulnerable lying naked on his couch, a floor lamp illuminating her form, while he stands over her shirtless.

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere," Peeta reassures her, leaning over to press an impossibly sweet kiss to her lips. He straightens back up, reaching for his fly, and her eyes dart frantically between his flat abs, the 'v's of hips, and the place where his fingers are pulling the zipper down. "Just holding up my part of the bargain." He smirks before adding seriously, "Besides, you're kind of stuck with me now, I hope you know."

The corner of his mouth pulls down, his expression purely self-deprecating, like a little boy admitting some embarrassing failure. Her heart melts.

"I think we'll be okay, but I'll have my crowbar handy, just in case," Katniss jokes, her voice breaking nervously at the end, undermining the cool indifference she was trying to embody. It doesn't matter. It only makes him smile brighter.

Peeta kicks off his shoes and socks and his jeans are shucked quickly, leaving him in navy boxer briefs that cling to his slim, muscular thighs. She has no idea why _this_ is what she notices when his erection is jutting out at her beneath the fabric. Probably because there's so much of him to look at and all of it is so good. She wants to run her hands all over him, through the crisp blond hairs of his thighs to the solid muscles of his chest.

He seems to be frozen in time, looking at her as intently as she's looking at him...so she decides to give him a helping hand. Katniss reaches out to grasp the elastic of his underwear and she can see his stomach contract when he sucks in breath; she uses it to playfully pull him forward before letting the elastic snap back against his waist, raising an eyebrow at him. Peeta takes her hint to get a move on and brings his own hands to the waistband, pulling the boxers down and stepping out of them quickly.

Her throat goes dry looking at him. There is no discernible reason why this man should be single, or so desperate to be with _her_ of all people, but she's not going to waste this opportunity by dwelling on her own shortcomings.

"Get down here," she says lowly, struggling to put words together.

Peeta crawls over her. Her gasp is met with an answering groan as their naked bodies press against each other. It's clear that he's trying to distribute his weight so that he's not crushing her, but she wants him closer, as close as he can get.

Her hands go to his hair, aching to draw him in for a deep kiss, but he jerks back; her eyes fly open and she struggles not to whine pathetically.

"Wait, wait," Peeta says, breathlessly. He rushes on when he sees the worried look on her face. "Sorry, it's just...my son watches cartoons on this couch. I...I didn't think about it." This sinks in and Katniss feels equally uncomfortable at the prospect. "Fuck, I'm sorry," says, burying his head in her neck miserably. "This isn't sexy, is it? This is what I get for trying to be spontaneous."

Katniss turns her head so that she can kiss him. "Get up," she says into his mouth.

He follows her order obediently and she stands up too, looking around the room curiously.

"What-?"

She doesn't let him finish his sentence. Instead, she drags him to a simple wooden chair that sits in the corner. It looks like it belongs to a dining set, but it has a pile of books on it like he was just using it for extra storage, so she drops them to the side before pushing him down to sit on it.

Peeta swallows visibly, but he still opens his legs for her so she can stand between them.

"Does this work?" Katniss asks, running her hand over his broad, freckled shoulders (ones that she needs to map with her mouth as soon as possible).

"Uh...I do have a bed," he teases her, his eyes clearly lighting up at her proposal, regardless.

"I thought you wanted to be spontaneous," she says lowly.

Katniss isn't sure where this confident, seductive side of her is coming from- in the past, she had gotten used to letting the men in her life dictate their sexual exploits, not that they were ever terribly exciting anyway. But being here with Peeta, seeing how damn cute he is when he's nervous and unsure, or the way he looks at her like _he's_ the lucky one in this situation- well, it makes her want to give as good as she gets. And he _did_ shove her against a wall and get her off in an embarrassingly short amount of time.

"I just didn't wanna kill the mood, you know?" he asks, running his hands down her bare back, but failing to meet her eyes.

"Peeta," she says, tiling his chin up, "I'll do this with you anywhere."

His eyes light up with something deeper than lust, and he pulls her into his body, his arms around her bare waist; hers immediately wrap around his shoulders as she stands in front of him.

It isn't long before he's kissing up and down her chest, finally taking a nipple into his mouth while he works the other one with his fingers. Her head falls forward, landing in his hair and she breathes in his shampoo. She nearly chokes when he worries her nipple lightly with his teeth.

"Fuck," she moans, trying to pull back for breath, but he merely caresses her ass with his other hand and uses it to push her further into him. Peeta starts to work on her other breast when she pulls back.

"Wait," Katniss gasps, "Do you have..."

Peeta's eyebrows furrow in confusion, and if she doesn't stop staring at his pink lips and beautifully disheveled blonde curls, she's going to forget why she stopped him.

"Oh!" he says in realization. "Um, yeah, there's, uh...one in my wallet." He cringes lightly like he's expecting her to react badly to this confession. "I didn't want to be presumptuous. I mean, I don't do this a lot...or ever. I just..."

"You don't have to explain," Katniss says, putting a finger to his lips. "I'd be pretty upset right now if you didn't have one." Peeta smiles hesitantly at this. "And besides, we're both...safe, right? Clean, or-?"

"Yes!" Peeta rushes to reassure her. "Absolutely."

"Okay," she smiles, running the same finger along his full lower lip. "Me, too. Be right back."

Clothes are scattered all over the living room floor and she has to search for a moment before finding his jeans in front of the couch. She slides his wallet out, finds the gold foil magnum packet (_God almighty_, she thinks with a shaky breath), and rushes back over to him.

Katniss stands over him, focused on the task at hand, but when she looks up from ripping the packet open, he's staring at her dreamily.

"Please always be naked," Peeta breathes. In this state, he can see the flush work all the way down from her face to her chest, and she tries not to be too affected by his words, too stupidly grateful, especially when she's been running around his house naked without a second thought. And besides, she feels the same way about him. Sitting on that chair, he looks like some sort of decadently carved sculpture...with more impressive junk. Katniss nearly snorts at that last realization, but she tries to distract herself with the condom.

"I don't think that was part of the deal," Katniss says, taking his length in her hand for the first time. Peeta shudders. She can't help but run her hand up and down his impressive length a few times, smoothing her head over the tip, incredibly turned on by the moisture that's gathered there.

"Fuck, Katniss," Peeta breathes. It's the first time she's heard him say her name in ecstasy, _and_ while naked, and she savors the sound of it. "You should...probably stop soon before I really embarrass myself," he groans, the strain evident in his voice.

Katniss remembers the condom in her hand and slides it out of the packet, dropping the foil unceremoniously to the ground. Before he can even reach out to take it, she's sliding the condom down his length and pinching the tip.

"Jesus," he says in awe and she merely smirks at him. She'll never understand why something as simple as that is such a turn on to men, but she's not about to question it when he's looking at her like that.

Peeta grabs her waist and pulls her forward. She has to maneuver herself over him, spreading her legs so she can straddle the chair and stand over him; she grabs onto the back of it to brace herself and Peeta guides her down gently. They both stare down intently as she begins to lower herself onto him. Katniss gasps at the same time that Peeta's fingers press painfully into her hipbones. It's been a while for her, and he's bigger than she's used to, so it doesn't hurt exactly, but it requires some adjustment and her thighs are already shaking.

"Take your time," Peeta says, his voice tight. He attempts to smile at her reassuringly, but his eyes are irresistibly drawn back to where they're joined. The sight of it is so erotic that Katniss bites her lips in equal parts discomfort and anticipation. She sinks down further.

"Fuck, just kidding," he groans. "You're gonna kill me."

This makes her laugh and the way her muscles tense up around his cock makes Peeta's head fall back, hanging over the back of the chair. Conversely, it calms Katniss enough to let her relax and sink down the rest of the way, her lap flush against his and her feet just touching the floor where they drape over either of his thighs.

She kisses up his neck, over his Adam's apple, and she's nibbling on his jaw when his head finally lifts. His deep blue eyes burn into hers, even more vivid at this proximity. One of his hands goes around her waist, bringing her upper body closer, and the other moves into her loose hair, pulling her into the wet kiss she'd been craving.

"You're so beautiful," Peeta says, releasing her bottom lip from his teeth. Instead of replying, Katniss merely uses her legs to lift up again before sliding back down his cock. She's so wet that the movement is becoming easier and he's hitting a spot inside her that's making her tremble.

Peeta is helping to guide her movements and balance her, but her legs are still tiring quickly. When she has to halt her movements to regain her strength, instead of protesting, he uses the opportunity to bring his mouth back to her breasts, alternating between them like he can't decide on one. Katniss runs her hands through his hair, enjoying the texture of the waves, and when she tugs on it roughly, he calls out, his eyes nearly rolling back in his head.

She grinds dazedly against him, his cock throbbing inside her, and it's creating amazing friction against her clit. She briefly worries that she's not doing enough for him, that this movement won't get him off and she's just being selfish. But Peeta whispers in her ear, soothing her fears as if she'd expressed them aloud.

"I want you to get there," he says, sucking on her earlobe. Katniss whimpers. "I'm gonna go off as soon as you do. Just watching you. You're incredible."

Her movements speed up, grinding rapidly in his lap. When one of his hands moves down to her clit, she sits up in surprise. His hooded eyes stare up at her, mesmerized by her every movement, and she begins to move up and down again, ignoring the burning in her muscles; she just wants him to come inside of her, _because_ of her. The thought makes her lick her lips before she finds a better use for a tongue.

They kiss passionately, exploring each other's mouths deeply, only pausing to nip at each other's lips and jaws and necks. When she throws her head back in growing ecstasy, Peeta's hand is there to steady her, sliding up her bare back, and he leans forward to lick a long line up her neck. As decadently sexy as this is, she wants to see him; she doesn't want to miss a moment of them moving together.

"You close?" Peeta breathes, never taking his eyes from hers.

"Yes," she hisses, breaking off into a moan when he pinches her nipple, his other hand still drawing tight circles on her clit.

"I've wanted you since the moment I saw you...in every way imaginable." Peeta seems to know the effect his words have, the way they make her speed up her movements and whimper in the back of her throat. "I want to stay inside you until the sun comes up."

Katniss is panting now and desperate for release; the pleasure is burning so intensely- making her tense all over, her body strung tight as a drum- that she's afraid she's going to start sobbing out her pleasure if she doesn't finish soon, her muscles shaking with the effort.

"But I'd rather feel you come around my cock. You feel so fucking good."

Peeta seems to be equally overwhelmed, his skin slick with sweat and his breath heaving rapidly from his chest, but he still maintains perfect control of his words. And it's this that drives her over the edge, making her come so hard that her vision goes out of focus and her throat becomes hoarse with her shouts, bouncing off the walls and mingling with Peeta's strangled groans. He comes only seconds after she does, as if he'd been holding back for her far longer than he let on.

Her thighs burn worse than they do after a few sets of squats and Peeta pulls her further into his lap as if he can sense her exhaustion. Her feet dangle from the chair and she buries her face in his neck. His scent is even more incredible when it's intensified by activity and sweat, and mixed with her own.

"You okay?" Peeta asks, wiping a few damp strands from her forehead.

"Mmm," she hums, kissing him softly. They continue kissing slowly, both of them boneless in the chair, and she doesn't know how long it is before they move.

"Hang on," Peeta whispers in her ear, and he stands, guiding her legs to wrap around his waist. They finally make it to his bedroom, Katniss cradled in his arms, and he pulls back the covers before dropping her onto his bed and slowly extracting himself; she's too tired too protest.

He leaves the room, presumably to dispose of the condom, and Katniss snuggles down in his sheets, using the opportunity to take in his room. It's typically masculine and simple- a few pieces of furniture, a plain navy bedspread, some undershirts scattered nowhere near his hamper. The only revealing touches are the framed photo of Ben he has on his nightstand, the boy's face covered in chocolate frosting, and a finger painting on the wall that bears both of their signatures. It occurs to her that she hasn't actually seen the rest of the house at all (save for the living room, with which she is now intimately acquainted) and she's curious what other things she can pick up about him, and really, for how long and how often she'll have the opportunity.

Warmth flows through her when Peeta walks back in with a glass of water and, more importantly, he's still naked.

"Aw, you didn't get dressed," Katniss teases, taking the water gratefully and downing half the glass quickly.

"Hey, a deal's a deal. Besides, I didn't want you getting any ideas," he tells her, sliding into bed beside her. She hands him the water, and even after all they've done in the last hour, it's an oddly intimate gesture to watch Peeta drink from the same glass.

"What kind of ideas?" she asks carefully.

"Any that involve you _not_ being naked in my bed."

It's a struggle to keep the look on her face neutral, and she's not entirely sure she's successfully, but inside she's elated that he wants her here as badly as she wants to stay.

"Well, that's a relief," Katniss replies, and she doesn't think she's imagining an equally relieved expression on his face. "Because I don't think I can walk. And I don't mean that as some cheap innuendo. I mean, I really don't think my legs work anymore."

"I wish I could say I'm sorry," Peeta says, shaking his head with a sly grin. He sets the glass on his nightstand and pulls her down beside him. His arm makes a surprisingly good pillow, but she turns to him instead of snuggling into his chest, and he does the same, both of them reluctant to break eye contact. "I don't have a motorized scooter or anything," he continues, "But Ben's got an old Big Wheel in the garage. You might just be small enough to fit."

"Shut up," she laughs.

"No, seriously, if you want, you won't have to use your legs all day. You can veg out on my couch for the weekend," he ventures, pausing briefly and looking away. "I, um, don't have Ben again until Sunday night, so..."

She'd be hard pressed to name a muscle in her body that doesn't ache from overexertion, from her tongue to her calves— not to mention the ones in her pelvis— but watching his face scrunch up nervously like he's bracing himself for a letdown, she's overcome with the urge to jump him again.

"I don't have to work till Sunday afternoon," Katniss tells him. His face lights up and she can't resist teasing him again. "But I didn't know I was allowed on the couch..."

Peeta's face falls. "Katniss, I never meant-"

"I'm kidding!" she says quickly, pressing a reassuring kiss to his neck. He pulls her closer, entwining his leg with hers.

"I would gladly take you against every surface of this house," he says, his voice taking on a low timbre that has her squirming like it's some Pavlovian response she has no hope of ever conquering. "But that's a lot of cleaning and I can't afford a new couch."

"I guess we'll have to go traditional for a little while," she says dryly, nodding at the bed. He leans over and hums into her neck, making her giggle and heat up at the same time.

"You know, I don't think I've heard you swear before tonight." It's not that she isn't enjoying his attentions to her neck, or that she can easily ignore the way he's making her wet again, but she likes talking to him. Almost as much as she likes the rest of it.

"You haven't heard me say a lot of those things," Peeta says lowly in her ear.

Both. She likes both. Preferably together.

"You know what I mean," she says, biting her lip to contain a gasp when she feels his erection press against her thigh.

"I know, I know," he says, looking into her eyes. "I normally don't. I have to watch myself. But I kind of wanted to do the opposite with you." Katniss lifts her hand to run it through his hair, pulling lightly at the ends. "You drive me fucking crazy."

"In a good way?"

"In a very good way," he says seriously, his vivid irises now just a thin ring around his dilated pupils.

"I thought you said you'd let me relax and veg out. Regain use of my legs," she scolds, her words immediately contradicted by the way she spreads her legs for him to move between them.

"You can. Just lay still," Peeta says, holding himself up on strong arms. "Don't move a muscle."

* * *

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading this silly one-shot that was supposed to be a simple drabble for Freaky Fic Friday on Tumblr…and got a bit out of hand. **** Many thanks to misshoneywell and didntheramble for their help and support in pre-reading, and to Amelia for always being an amazing cheerleader. **

**All mistakes are mine.**

**(Also, I know Ben misquotes **_**Star Wars**_**. But, ya know. He's seven. I suppose we'll have to forgive.)  
**


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